How to Write a Speech

Learn to write a speech that really delivers

A well-delivered speech begins long before you step on stage.  It involves research, planning, and putting together a well-written speech. 

Before writing your speech, you have to determine what kind of speech it will be.  Is your speech designed to convince, to sell, to entertain or to inform?  Many times a speech can be a combination of these forms.  But you should define your expected outcome, which will help  you organize your speech.

A good question to ask when you are ready to put your presentation together is "What do I want my audience to do with this information?" 

If you want them to walk away with new information, you are speaking to inform.  If you want them to laugh and have a great time, you are out to entertain.  If you want them to go out and use your web site, to use your product or stop hurting the environment, the objective of your speech is to convince.  Of course, a good speech may have elements of all three.  There's certainly nothing wrong with being entertaining and informative or convincing at the same time.  Just don't let the entertainment get in the way of your message.

The components of a well-written speech:

The Introduction or Opening

This is where you bring the audience to you.  It's good to greet them warmly and seek a greeting in response.  One way to do this is by asking your audience a question, such as "Who would like to say goodbye to their day job?"  This engages your audience instantly, as they are internally (and, many, externally) answering the question.  You can also ask questions the audience doesn't know the answer to, but you do.  You will answer your own question, as well as engaging your audience.

Other great ways to grab your audience's attention is through a joke or anecdote that will lead directly into your talk.  One caveat here:  some people are not natural joke tellers.  If you're not, then skip the joke.  Also, keep your story or anecdote short and relevant to your speech.

The Statement of the "Problem"

The problem statement can be phrased as a question.  For example, if you're giving a speech on how to use energy-saving products in the home, you might bring up problems some people have in understanding these products.

The Body of the Speech

The body of your speech is the problem solving portion of your presentation, and is usually organized into 3 to 5 main points regarding the solution to the problem.

This is the part of your speech where you get to support the thesis statement you presented during your introduction.  Sometimes, the use of visual aids such as a PowerPoint presentation, a whiteboard, slideshow, or flip chart will help lend support to your presentation as well as catch the attention of your audience.

The Conclusion or "Call to Action"

The conclusion is a summary of what was just said.  It's here you might also put your "call to action."  A call to action is what action you want your audience to take.  Do you want them to conserve energy?  Vote a certain way?  Go to your website?  Buy your product? 

The conclusion, believe it or not, is one of the most important parts in a presentation.  This is also the best time to address any questions that the audience may have.  At this point, the audience must know what is it that they should do or what you would want them to understand or realize or think as based on your presentation.

To make sure your talk reaches its primary goal, lay down the outline or the "skeleton" of the speech with that goal in mind.  You might even "back into it" by writing the conclusion first.  The conclusion might be, "And so, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you can see that keeping your car properly tuned up will do a lot to help you reduce your use of gasoline."  From there you can back up into the body of the speech and lay down your supporting 3 to 5 points.

With that skeleton done, you can go back and start writing the speech from the beginning and use humor, anecdotes, inspirational stories, interesting facts or visual aids to help your speech be fun, compelling and attention grabbing.

If by the end of your talk you can tell you achieved your primary goal, then your speech was well constructed.  And a well-constructed speech is not only easier to give; it's also easier for your audience to hear.

synonyms:  Presentation and talk are synonymous with the word, "speech." 

Peech, pseech, seech, sepech, spech, speeech, speceh, speeh, speehc, and speec are typos for "speech."